Three weeks into the 2015-16 school year and, according to Fountain Hills Charter School Principal Lynda Rice and Fountain Hills Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sweeney, all local sites are up and running smoothly.

“The first week of school was exciting for everyone; students, teachers, school staff and parents alike,” Rice said.

“Many of the students expressed their joy at finally coming to school to see their friends again and work in their new grade level classrooms.”

According to Dr. Sweeney, it’s been smooth sailing at FHUSD, too.

“We’ve gotten off to a really good start all around,” he said.

“Enrollment numbers came in pretty much exactly where we thought they would come in, so there are no surprises there. Between the logistics of the preparation the principals, parents and teachers did in getting ready, and transportation doing a great job of getting kids to where they need to be on time, I think things are good.”

Enrollment figures are always a hot topic for public districts, as they are a primary factor in determining the next school year’s budget.

At FHUSD, first week enrollment is at 1,595 students, down from 1,681 last school year.

According to Sweeney, there are actually slight increases at seven grade levels this school year, but the fact remains that a larger group of seniors graduated in May while a smaller group of kindergarteners entered the district this August.

During a recent FHUSD Governing Board retreat, Sweeney informed the board that exit surveys are still being conducted in order to get a better grasp on where students are going and why.

Enrollment is a bit trickier to pin down at the Charter School this early on, though.

“It is hard to estimate at this time, as we have been giving tours of the school and are enrolling new students well into the second week of school,” Rice said.

“This is typical as families move into the area.”

Less than a month into the new school year, Rice said that FHCS “definitely hit the ground running.”

“We have our classroom routines, procedures and lessons in place already,” Rice added.

“We have already had a successful back-to-school night, book fair and carnival with a huge turnout. We have many events planned, including assemblies, field trips, guest speakers and more.”

Rice also added that FHCS is moving forward to ensure that its entire content curriculum is aligned with the Common Core State Standards.

“So if this momentum is an indication of what is to come, I would say we are in for an exciting and productive year,” she concluded.

According to Superintendent Sweeney, the local district is also ready for another big nine months of education.

“By getting off to a good start, I think we’ve set the stage for a great year,” he said.